National budget 12.24.08

Happy Holidays & Merry Christmas from the news service. Call Jean Hodges at (630) 956-8834 on Christmas Day if you need something from the news service.

Here are the top national stories coming today from GateHouse News Service. Stories are available at http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/. Please submit stories below no later than 6 pm local time, unless you have breaking news that is changing significantly.

NEED A LAST-MINUTE CHRISTMAS STORY? Check here for a package of links to holiday content on the news service. There’s plenty to pick from, and we’ve added new stories, columns and more today.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/lifestyle/holidays_seasonal/x1720672121/Christmas-holiday-content

SPECIFICS ON INAUGURATION PLANS: Find answers to your questions about the inauguration special section plans and more on ghnewsroom.com.
http://ghnewsroom.com/article/gatehouse-news-service-offers-inauguration-plan-details

BEST OF 2008: Check out our package of year-end best-of content. We've got a look at the best political moments of the year, several movie and music features, a roundup of the best weird news stories, a special look at 2009 and more. http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/features/x415884208/GateHouse-presents-Best-of-2008

YEAR-END PACKAGES: Get ideas of how to involve readers, look at 2009 issues in year-end packages on ghnewsroom.com
http://www.ghnewsroom.com/article/how-involve-readers-look-2009-issues-year-end-packages

Lifestyles (Topic is Home & Garden)

MORNING MINUTES: Word of the Day, Web Site of the Day and Number to Know. http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/lifestyle/morning_minutes

LOOKING UP: (moved early because of the holiday) What time is it? If you left your watch at home and the stars are out, just look up. You can learn at least a general idea of the hour knowing the time of year. (Note: Column moving early this week because of Christmas.) http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/features/x1060483879/Looking-Up-Telling-time-under-the-stars

HOME HELP: Weekly rail. Leads with pumping up a pint-size bathroom; also includes a decorating tip about environmentally friendly flooring, a winter wakeup for your basement, and more.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/lifestyle/home_and_garden/x1435866688/Home-Help-Pump-up-a-pint-size-bath

HIGH-TECH HOME: Check out this home, with its high-tech devices, color and art to match its owners personality. PEORIA
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/lifestyle/home_and_garden/x1060484019/Man-personalizes-home-by-adding-high-tech-devices-color-and-art

HOLIDAY SERMONS: Ministers see holiday sermons as chance emphasize Jesus (GREAT TO LOCALIZE BY TALKING TO YOUR OWN MINISTERS) – As the Rev. Blake Carter points out, the prophet Isaiah foretold of the coming of the Messiah as he watched his homeland Israel overrun by the Assyrians, ushering in a time of economic hardship, disease and broken spirits. “There’s a parallel of where Israel was then and where we are now,” says Carter, senior pastor of Hope Evangelical Free Church in Springfield. “When Isaiah talked about the Messiah, what he was really saying was: don’t lose hope. For people struggling now, who have lost their jobs, who had to close their businesses or who are suffering depression, that’s something to reflect on.” SPRINGFIELD http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/midwest/illinois/x512362081

FONDUE: Fondue a meal that plays with fire - Fondue - the mere mention of the word conjures thoughts of a night of exotic entertainment. A flickering flame warming a pot of molten cheese or smooth, rich chocolate. Friends sharing in the fun - dipping everything from traditional bread and fruit in Gruyere to seafood and meat seared in hot oil. PEORIA http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/lifestyle/food/x1277297494

WHAT WOULD JESUS EAT? What would Jesus eat? A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, breads, beans, legumes, milk, fish and some meat would have been available 2,000 years ago in the Holy Land — the Fertile Crescent between Egypt and ancient Mesopotamia. SPRINGFIELD
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/lifestyle/food/x946489892

SANTA TRACKER: Follow Santa's journey across the world tonight. http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/features/x1647205866/Track-Santas-journey-across-the-world

SANTA INTERVIEW: Ten questions with jolly Old St. Nick, by the Burlington Union. http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/lifestyle/x1060484811/Ten-questions-with-jolly-Old-St-Nick

GETAWAY: Cruising in South America on luxury line Silversea. http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/east/massachusetts/x16585147/Getaway-Cruising-in-South-America-on-luxury-line-Silversea

Entertainment

SUDOKU PUZZLES: Latest installment is on the site.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/entertainment/x466648963/Sudoku-puzzles-155-189

BEST OF 2008: The year’s best music http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/entertainment/music/x260980715/

TOP 18 MOVIES OF THE YEAR: Ed Symkus weighs in with his picks for 2008.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/entertainment/x16586658/Best-of-2008-Top-18-movies-of-the-year

TOP MOVIES OF THE YEAR: Al Alexander takes a look at the year‚s best movies. http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/entertainment/x1060485219/Best-of-2008-Ledger-Downey-Slumdog-lead-the-way-in-a-year-of-great-movie-moments
--With list of the good, bad and ugly: http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/entertainment/x16585256/Best-of-2008-The-best-and-worst-of-this-year-s-movies

PRO FOOTBALL PAGE: Bursting through to the next level.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/homepage/x1060485537/PFW-National-Page-week-17

MIKE NADEL: Nadel will be writing a year in review column that will be posted Thursday for use Friday. He will also be writing from Sunday’s Bears-Texans game in Houston.

News

WHAT’S IN/WHAT’S OUT: Isn’t it fine? It’s 2009! Your guide to what's in and what's out - Is it really possible that another year has already gone by? Well, aging is out, so we’d rather not admit it — but it’s true, 2009 looms just around the bend. And that means it’s time for us to bring you your annual update on what’s in and out in society, politics, the arts, sports and life in general. CNC, Chianca et al, on wire now
With art
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/east/massachusetts/x1049864718/Isn-t-it-fine-It-s-2009-Your-guide-to-whats-in-and-whats-out

INAUGURATION: Check out our links package of the prepared preview page of the inauguration, as well as other content. http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/features/x1009174358/Inauguration-preview-page-and-original-content

TEEN HEALS AFTER SAVING GIRL FROM FIRE: Go ahead. Ask Cyndi Houston if she believes in angels. The answer will be a resounding “absolutely.” Houston’s 16-year-old son, Dakota Hanlin, suffered second- and third-degree burns on his arms, hands, back and legs when a fire erupted Dec. 4 in the house where the family was staying in Milford in east-central Illinois. Dakota was burned while saving an 11-year-old girl from the fire. By Jayette Bolinski of the State Journal-Register.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/midwest/illinois/x512363808

APOLLO 8: Forty years ago today, the world saw the first images of the rugged surface of the moon during a historic Christmas Eve broadcast from Apollo 8, the first manned mission to reach the moon. With audio. http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/east/x1647205897/Audio-At-the-end-of-a-tumultuous-year-Apollo-8-brought-people-together

Business / Ag

DEPRESSION CHRISTMAS: Buying gifts during tough times called for better bargains
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/news/business/x512360826/

KATHRYN REM: Housewares industry feeling the pinch - Although it’s not as splashy as the auto industry or the world of finance, the housewares industry is also taking a hit in the challenging economic climate.
http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/regional_news/midwest/illinois/x1277297471